I went heavy into gardening when the kids were toddlers, which was something I could do together when they were small, and I sketched a lot and did watercolors and lots of painting projects with them, like visual journaling collage, but my painting really did not start again until they were like five and seven.
For me it was very difficult and I needed to just let things go to focus on the children; it was pretty all consuming —I think it depends on your temperament and also on your finances and your ability to get help. Ultimately it is a beautiful respite from all of the stress and strain that parenting puts on you and the pendulum creative swings back your way when they are a little older. That is different for all families; sometimes it’s two, three, five, even seven or more! It just depends on your journey and the many detours that belong to it and its rythms.